A Little Noise With Your Nosh

Published
4:00 am PDT, Friday, August 22, 1997

WElcome to Dish, where anything and everything related to dining is served.

Every other week, Dish will pass on tidbits about restaurant news and dining trends, and tell you where to find the specialty items featured in the In Season column from the Wednesday Food section. We'll also share those menu misspellings, service snafus and overheard conversations that flavor our dining experiences.

Like any hardworking server, all Dish asks for are your generous tips -- send them by fax, e-mail or mail. (For the addresses and numbers, see below.) ...

HARD TO HEAR: It's likely that when you try to converse with your companions over dinner these days, you find yourself yelling rather than talking. Why are restaurants so noisy?

Yes, a certain chatter level adds to a restaurant's energy and makes it seem festive. But many restaurants seem designed so that a boisterous buzz turns into a deafening din. Could that be to discourage diners from lingering, so the tables can be turned quickly? Or is it just the unintended side effect of trendy interiors filled with hard, sound-bouncing surfaces?

Have you avoided a place because it's too loud? Or do you like the commotion? Has anyone found a restaurant that does it all -- features a stylish design, a festive atmosphere and a conversation-encouraging noise level? Pass it on to Dish. ...

IN SEASON: In Wednesday's Food section, the In Season column reported on local halibut and wild king salmon. It's easier to find wild king salmon in the East Bay.

Andronico's (510 841-7942) in Berkeley has had it this week for $7.49 whole, $8.99 steak, $7.99 filet, all per pound. Berkeley Bowl (510 548-7008) has had it for $4.99 whole, $6.99 steak, $6.99 filet, per pound. Kim Steele of Monterey Fish (510 525-0320) notes that the season lasts until the end of the September; her store has it for $9.99 filet, $4.50 whole, $4.99 half, per pound. Ross Molyneux of Half Moon Bay caught the Monterey Fish salmon at Rocky Point. As for local halibut, Berkeley Bowl has had filets with the skin off for $8.95 per pound this week. Diablo Oriental Foods (510 933-2590) in Walnut Creek has had California halibut filets from near Eureka for $11 per pound.